Ritz Carlton Review

Overall Rating

1. Excellent hotel
2. First class staff throughout the resort
3. Beautiful grounds and gardens
4. Good to see ladies employed in the hotel - many just have men only.

1. Mediocre rooms - perhaps I'm being a bit picky
2. Forget the beach - stick to the pools
3. Main a la carte restaurants too expensive - much better value outside
4. You must get to the prime spot sunbeds early or tip staff to reserve for you.

Ritz Carlton:
Sorry for delay - ref my earlier notes regarding the Intercontinental and the Ritz. As mentioned we did go to the Ritz for 2 weeks from 24th May onwards. I am pleased to say that we had an excellent holiday - the very large gardens are a real joy, immaculately kept and daily informal but informative tours by the head gardener. The staff are in a class of their own, knowledgeable and politeness personified. Very smooth, slick operation from initial reception - greeted by a Nubian band - they perform each day throughout the day to greet and say goodbye to guests. On arrival you are immediately seated and given a cool drink and cold towels. Booking in is very quick and efficient and then it's to a motorised buggy along with your baggage for a tour of the grounds and facilities before ending up at your room.

Rooms are very spacious - but - there's always a but isn't there? The rooms were being upgraded and the one we were allocated quite frankly looked a bit weary - however no problem, a comment to one of the deputy managers the following day immediately saw us packed off to a newly refurbished room overlooking the lower swimming pool. That said however I couldn't help but feel the rooms still looked very dated - not quite sure why but considering it is a relatively modern hotel they looked a bit sixty-ish and not as stylish as the Intercontinental rooms, although they were much larger.

The general foyer/bar/lounge area is large and impressive - 1000's of ceiling lights, black marble and acres of glass together with large fresh flower arrangements. I particularly liked the bar! Drinks are amongst the most expensive in Sharm/Naama Bay - but all in all not greatly above a moderate hotel price in the UK with the possible exception of wine and some of the more exotic cocktails or shorts. A 500ml bottle of Sakhara lager was approximately 27 Egyptian pounds (the exchange rate when we went was approx 11.30 Egyptian pounds to the UK pound). Pool areas excellent, beach no more than OK - would we go again - definitely. Food prices in the a la carte generally very expensive - much better to go into Naama or old town Sharm and eat well and safely at a fraction of the price.

I also checked out the Four Seasons - very good, but to me it felt a little bit lonely - not a lot of interaction between guests or staff - but that is just what some people want.

Whilst out that way I called into the Savoy - I get the feeling it's living on its name - looked a bit weary and unkempt around the edges - it's not that it's particularly bad in any department - it's just that in an area where there are many first rate hotels you can do better at a cheaper price

I also paid another visit to the Intercontinental and have to say we were very disappointed - couldn't believe how it has seemed to deteriorate in less than a year - pool areas looked dirty and a general air throughout of tiredness - a great shame as this really was a hotel with a difference with excellent features. I've heard good reports from the recently opened Renaissance Hotel near the Ritz and Hilton Waterfalls. This hotel comes under the Marriott umbrella.

Tips - change your money in either the ATM's in the hotels or in Naama Bay - much better rate than the UK. Also do try the Mexican restaurant, part of the Naama Bay Hotel complex near the promenade - very good food at excellent prices. Watch people going by on the promenade from the elevated seating positions at the front of the Hilton Fayrouz Hotel - seek out Yaseen (excellent waiter). Later in the evening do more people watching from the outside seating area of the Cataract Hotel a street back from the seafront opposite the main shopping mall (look out for Mohammed - sheesha pipe captain - no further description necessary!)

Top Tip No 1. - Unless you are very young go for one of the hotels outside of the main resort area of Naama Bay - they can be better value in terms of more spacious grounds, accommodation, facilities and with a couple of exceptions are cheaper. They are also cooler - it can get quite hot in town, especially once you get off the promenade and into the back streets. All of the hotels outside of Naama Bay run a shuttle bus into town several times a day - either free or for a small nominal charge. Taxis are also cheap, for instance from Naama Bay to the Ritz or Hilton Waterfalls shouldn't cost you more than £25 Egyptian and even those further afield such as the SAS Radisson should cost more than £45 Egyptian.

Top Tip No 2. - Do go to Fantazia (Alf Leila Wah Leila) not far from the Hilton Waterfalls and Ritz - this is an Egyptian version of Bollywood and Arabian Nights all in one - guaranteed to make you smile - all completely new comprising of minarets, shows, side stalls and caf /bars. A complete hotchpotch.

PS - on request the Ritz will pick you up and return you to the airport at no charge if you contact them via their website.

PPS - sorry this report is a bit disjointed - typed as it came into my head.

PPPS - I shall try to come back to this page more frequently - if anyone has any questions regarding Sharm - please leave a message.

Members' Comments onssearle1's Review

• lou1012 on 14th Apr 2005

  Just a quick one... when you say 'the beach at the Ritz-Carlton was no more than okay' does that mean avoid it? I am looking to go to Egypt this summer with my boyfriend and whilst we're not looking solely for a beach holiday, it would be nice to have a beach to go for a walk on, occasionally swim in the sea etc...
  Please let me know your recommendation and also if the beach at the Four Seasons is better?

• ssearle1 on 15th Apr 2005

  There is no beach as such at the Ritz Carlton, just some small coves with rough imported sand. Nor is there direct access from the coves into the sea other than at one place along the jetty and over the coral. This though is common with most of the hotels with a beach at or close to Sharm. It isn't possible to walk along the beach as there isn't any continuity between the coves. There is a paved walkway above the coves but that doesn't extend for much more than 300 metres or so. Don't let this put you off - the gardens are simply magnificent and extend for a considerable distance with many interconnecting pathways. Of course the sealife is pretty fantastic and easily accessible - a mask and snorkel are all you really need, flippers make life a little easier. To be perfectly honest the beaches despite the hype from the brochures are nothing to write home about either around old town Sharm or actually in Naama Bay, although from the latter it is possible to gain direct access to the sea. I don't know about further afield in the regions of Dahab or Nuweiba. What are good however are the pool areas of most of the various hotel swimming pools - generally they are extensive and offer many secluded or more public sunning areas. The SAS Radisson 14 km North of Naama Bay has particularly good pool areas and gardens. The Ritz though wins hands down for me in respect to the public areas ie reception, lounge areas and bar etc - these coupled with the gardens, swimming pools and first class service from the staff will really make your holiday. The staff have a policy of always being the first to greet you each day - before you are able to say anything, and they always know your name. They really do put great store in ensuring complete guest satisfaction. Best deals for the Ritz at the moment are through Longwoods Travel see their website at www.longwoodholidays.co.uk. The better travel agents also stock their brochures and are able to make bookings. If you aren't in a hurry to book wait until nearer the time you want to go and have a look at the special deals on the Longwood website - they offer reductions at most of the hotels they deal with. Other travel agents you may be interested in are: www.key2egypt-holidays.co.uk www.mosaicholidays.co.uk
  www.jewelholidays.com.
  If you want any further information regarding hotels in the area or info on Naama Bay, please leave a message.
  PS the Ritz also has it's own website - can't remember the precise address - just type Ritz Sharm in your search engine.
  My personal recommendation for location to stay is in the Ras Um Sid area about 7 km to the South of Naama Bay - in this area is the Ritz, Hilton Waterfalls, Renaissance Hotel, Iberotel Grand (I think it's the Grand). There are also numerous other smaller hotels. I prefer this area because it is close to old town Sharm (you'll either love it or loathe it), close to Alf Leila Wah Leila complex - as I have previously mentioned this is completely OTT - a glorious mix of Bollywood type glitz and Tales of the Arabian Nights - an enormous modern fantasy land of minarets, fairground terraces, arenas, shops, restaurants, cafes and some bars which sell alcoholic drinks. There are nightly shows on an Arabian/Egyptian theme incorporating everything from belly dancers, horses, lightshows etc etc. When you see the place you will smile and when you leave you will still be smiling - it has that effect on you. Culture is is not - fun it is!

• ssearle1 on 15th Apr 2005

  Sorry - I think I missed a couple of your points - firstly the beach at the Four Season is very similar to the Ritz, as I mentioned in my earlier reply most hotels have little in the way of beach you can actually walk along - some though do have quite extensive promenades above the sea area - for instance the Intercontinental has a pathway which extends along onto the Hyatt Regency promenade and it's quite possible to walk along there. The Sheraton is to the other side but when I stayed at the Intercontinetal they had not extended the promenade in that direction - they may have done by now. The problem is that in this area of the Sinai the sea meets cliffs, albeit not too high in most places, but this does preclude long beach areas. If you want a nice walk in the evenings then pop into Naama Bay and walk the length of the paved and attractively lit at night promenade - probably the best part of a mile from one end to the other. This does seem to be the 'parading area' and is very pleaant with various hotel gardens on one side and the beach/sea on the other. Along the way are many hotel bars and restaurants. As I previously mentioned the promenade garden bar of the Fayrouz Hilton is a particularly good spot - slightly raised above the promenade with comfortable seating and attractive gardens and water features from which you can people watch. There are few things better in life than sitting there early evening with an ice-cold Sakhara - but maybe I'm just getting a bit sad! Final comment on the Four Seasons - there really does seem to be an air of isolation there - facilities excellent, service first class, but from my brief visit I got the impression that people went there to be alone and not interact. Perhaps I just went there at a bad time. The gardens there are also very good but do not have the spaciousness of the Ritz and are quite steep - in fact no-one was walking through them as it was too hot for climbing and everyone used the tramcar to get up and down. As a point of interest - a bottle of Sakhara at the Four Seasons was E£1.00 cheaper than the Ritz.

• Roley on 7th May 2005

  Hi, I am going away with my girlfriend and we are flying out towards the end of July 2005 for a week. My girlfriend is 18, and I am 20. We are staying at the Ritz-Carlton hotel. We aren't looking into nightclubs, and music, but we are interested in seeing the sights and generally relaxing in the glorious sun! Is there anything you can give advice on? Places to go and see? Also, a quick point, I have seen photo's of the beach, and to me it looks very sparse. Is there enough sunbeds to cover for all the guests?? The hotel has over 300 rooms, that's at least 600 people crammed into the hotel (I checked with my travel agent, and she confirmed we nicked the last room!!) Also, are there any shops nearby to the Ritz, selling postcards, gifts and/or little trinkets? Thanks in advance.

• ssearle1 on 9th May 2005

  Further to Roley's queries - there are limited sunbeds around the cove areas of the Ritz - if you are really keen on these areas you have two choices - firstly get up really early and claim a couple with towels/books etc or secondly, tip the pool orderlies to keep them reserved for you. The latter is a very common practice in all of the hotels in Sharm - these guys are up early in the day cleaning the pool and surrounding areas and will reserve whichever you want. It's a bit annoying for other guests - but that's the way it is.
  There are a few shops in the hotel which sell everything from postcards to expensive jewellery - however these are of course at inflated prices and can be purchased more cheaply either in Naama Bay, old town Sharm or Alf Leila Wah Leila complex which is about a 20 minute walk from the hotel. There is even a shop at the hotel spa complex which sells Ritz branded goods i.e. polo shirts, glasses, towels, bathrooms etc - expensive.
  Sights are few and far between - the most common one is St Catherine's monastery (burning bush and all that) - this tour is commonly tied in on the return journey with a trip to Dahab a smaller town further up the coast. You will also see excursions to the coloured canyon - I haven't been but I believe it is somewhat overated. Of course you can visit Cairo either by air-con bus which leaves about 2am getting to Cairo around breakfast time and then visiting the museum and pyramids - eventually gets back to your hotel late in the evening - some enjoy it others find it too tiring. Alternatively you can fly there and back but not particularly cheap about £150 sterling. I think you can also tie in both types of visit with an overnight stay in Cairo for a supplement. There are also ferry crossings over the Suez Canel to Hurgharda These leave from the port area of old town Sharm - I don' think many take this trip as Naama Bay is a better resort. There are of course many half or full day trips at sea some of which go to Ras Nasrani (which is now a protected National park - both the sea area and coastline). Do bear in mind that you don't need a visa if your stay on the Sinai peninsula is for 15 days or less - this will be OK for visits to St Catherine's, Dahab, Nuweiba or even Taba - but it does not cover trips to Ras Nasrani, Cairo, or Hurghada etc - so if you think you will be going to these places you will need a visa which you can purchase prior to going from the Egyptian embassy in London or on arrival at Sharm airport. Most people wait until they land at Sharm. The cost per person for a visa is approx £15 sterling. Don't be pressurised into getting a visa if you aren't leaving the Sinai peninsula - just keep saying 'Sinai only' to the officials they will then let you pass through - no great hassle but just be persistent. There is also the chance to go on a mini submarine to look at the reefs etc - from what I can recall this wasn't too expensive and is best booked from the excursions desk located in the Naama Bay hotel. As you may have gathered by now Sinai is a bit of a cultural desert compared with the likes of Cairo, Alexsandria and Luxor, but don't let that put you off - it's a really enjoyable holiday experience with something for everyone. The beauty of the whole resort area is that being so new and purpose built all the infrastructure works - so no problem with non-flushing toilets or sporadic water supplies. The streets are pristine (old town Sharm excepted) - you will feel very safe - yes of course you get the locals trying to stop you and sell you things but it's all done with good humour and you don't feel bad about saying no - there is no real poverty in the resort areas - I think it's an heredited thing and they just feel duty bound to accost holidaymakers! If you have any further queries, just leave a message. I know you'll have a great time - just be careful in the sun, take it easy for the first few days, you'll have no problem getting a tan - but it will be very hot in July. Finally - don't book any excursions prior to going or with hotel reps - take your time and visit Naama Bay where there are many excursion offices along the streets or promenade offering the same trips but at greatly reduced prices. All excursions will pick you up and drop you off at your hotel. Also only change a small amount of money into Egyptian before going - once there you will get a far more favourable rate from the ATM's of which there are many located throughout Naama Bay and most hotels.

• ssearle1 on 9th May 2005

  Footnote to Roley's queries - there are a great many sunbeds around both the lower pool area near the sea and the upper pool area with the lazy river - both are very big pools and unless the hotel is packed to capacity I don't think you will have too much difficulty in getting a sunbed but, as I mentioned previously if you want one in a particular area then you need to reserve by whatever means. Personally I prefer the pool areas to the coves/sandy areas.

• ssearle1 on 9th May 2005

  Error in one of my earlier comments - the national park is Ras Mohammed not Ras Nasrani - sorry - more haste less speed!

• Roley on 11th May 2005

  Thank you very much for your help, do you work in promoting holidays!!? If not, you are in the wrong job!!!!
  great stuff.

• Heidi Ho on 12th May 2005

  Hi there
  
  My boyfriend and I are thinking of staying in Sharm towards the end of October next year. I originally wanted to stay in the Iberotel Palace, as it seemed to be excellent value and had plenty of activities and facilities. My boyfriend is trying to convince me to go to the Ritz but I'm not so sure as it seems overpriced. Would you agree with this or is the brochure not doing the hotel its justice?
  
  I have also been worried lately being a young female tourist at how the locals will act. I have heard stories that they can be quite hostile. From your experiance would you agree with this?
  
  Finally my last question is regarding the board basis. Did you stay in the Ritz at Half board or B & B as I am trying to decide on what would be a better option.
  
  I think this is all I'm thinking about at the moment, if I think of anything else I'll be sure to ask.
  
  Please Help!!

• ssearle1 on 12th May 2005

  Pleased you found the information useful, I've tried to keep it factual - and no I don't work in the travel industry and so have no vested interest in promoting the Sharm area. However, I have spent 6 weeks (3 x 2 weeks) in Sharm though over the past couple of years - we went not knowing what to expect and thoroughly enjoyed it. On 1st June we are going to Luxor for a couple of weeks and staying at the Sofitel Karnak, so I shall post a review of that on my return. Expect we may go back to Sharm in November - I think we're in danger of getting in a rut but I get bored senseless with long plane journeys and can't find the enthusiasm to watch the in-flight movies or read a book, I also find it difficult to nap, so by the time I've flicked through the airline magazine we're only at the end of the runway. It's then I become captain of the starship Enterprise and vapourise all the passengers going back and forth to the toilet!
  Anyhow have a great holiday - I recommend the local Sakhara lager.
  PS - I also know Cyprus extremely well - lived there for over 3 years and have spend countless months there on subsequent holidays - so if you want any info let me know.

• ssearle1 on 16th Jun 2005

  Ref query from Heidi Ho dated 12 May. Please see my main report dated 12 March 2005 and subsequenc comments - these cover many of the queries you have. I do not recommend staying on a half board basis at the Ritz - it's overpriced - it's possible to eat out much more cheaply in either Naama Bay or especially old town Sharm. However that doesn't mean you should dismiss the Ritz, it does have a certain 'chic' that the other hotels cannot quite manage to attain, and their guest services from pool attendants, bar staff and customer service managers is second to none. If you can get a good rate - see www.longwoodholidays.co.uk then go ahead and book it. Ref Iberotel Hotels - they have quite a major presence in the Sharm region, there must be four or five and I believe they are opening another quite soon, the Iberotel Mirabelle. The vast majority of these offer an all inclusive package with more daily and evening activities, whilst these can be very good I feel that they may restrict you from enjoying the facilities of other hotels, restaurants or going out at night for example into Naama Bay. My recommendation if the Ritz works out too expensive (I believe in June or July it's possible to get 2 weeks for approx £600 or so from Longwoods) is to go for the Renaissance Hotel or the Hilton Waterfalls hotel both in a similar area to the Ritz,(both of these should be cheaper and with subsequently lower prices for food and drinks etc. If I had to make a choice of the two I would go for the Renaissance. Regarding problems for females in the Naama Bay/Sharm area - quite frankly I do not believe there is a problem, I have never seen any evidence of it or heard of problems from other holidaymakers - although this is probably the most liberated area in Egypt it does not mean that you are in danger of being either physically or verbally molested - Egyptians are in actual fact very respectful to females and to be otherwise would go completely against their nature/culture. I believe you will feel completely safe and comfortable. Of course there is plenty of banter regarding buying things (but believe me nothing like on the scale of Luxor), but this is all good natured. Hope this may prove helpful - have a good time.